Facility to create 200 jobs

By Gabriel Ewepu – Abuja

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammad Nanono, has commissioned 50 metric tonnes of yam seed storage facility at the faculty of Agriculture, Nasarawa State University, Keffi-Shabu- Lafia.

This was contained in a statement signed by Director, Information, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Theodore Ogaziechi, where it was also made known that the facility will create 200 jobs along the yam value chain, and also enhance teaching and research including income generation for farmers in the State.

He said, “The huge output of using clean seed yam will boost production, increase earnings of yam farmers and enhance export of yam from Nasarawa State.

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“The location of the facility inside Nasarawa State University will immensely add value in terms of teaching and research, and this facility will generate about 200 jobs along the yam value chain.”

Meanwhile, the Minister accompanied by Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, visited Shabu Integrated Farms, Kokona, in Nasarawa State, where he commended a firm specialized in manufacturing high-quality storage and processing equipment, planning, engineering, assembling, and services for efficient and cost-effective solutions of grain handling and preservation.

Also, he (Nanono) was taken through a chain of the corn processing facility, from de-kenneling the corn for thorough cleaning then produces corn flour and other products.

Meanwhile, earlier speaking, the Vice-Chancellor, Nasarawa State University, Prof Suleiman Mohammed, said the facility will complement efforts of the federal government to boost agribusiness and make farmers access quality yam seeds, especially as a new vista is being opened in international trade within Africa under the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA.

Mohammed also explained the essence of the project, which is to improve agricultural productivity, promote research and enhance the economic diversification agenda of the federal government.

He also stated that the project gulped N35 million as released by the Nasarawa State Government to establish an aeroponics system for seed production, which is also a component of the yam value chain.

Vanguard News Nigeria